GO BIG

 SATURDAY - Did nothing much it was hot sat in the garden enjoying the day thinking about camper vans and all the accessories we need to get some essential items some can wait the main item is the van which we will have a fortnight today .I have started parking my car one side of the drive so I can get used to leaving space for the van . If it is not feasible the the car will have to go on the street will see . 

England beat Norway 2-1 through to the semi finals is it coming home maybe I never thought I would be getting a camper van so in life anything is possible don't give up on your dreams .

SUNDAY - Went to the biggest Go Outdoors in Europe at York Vangarde Huntington shopping park it was massive over two floors spent a good hour looking round some great car roof tents and one you could pull along behind your car .We went to M&S also situated there and bought pork pies , sausage rolls , scotch egg , salad and fruit as well as chill jam , brown sauce and short bread biscuits. We then visited Helens parents forgetting that the Wimbledon men's tennis final was on live t.v .

 

BOUGHT ONE

 THURSDAY -We went to see another camper van to Macclesfield Nottinghamshire to meet a lady called  Jessica who owned a Ford Transit self converted camper van that she modified with the help of her Grandfather .The white paint work pristine odd speck of rust bit nothing drastic the dashboard was clean with quite a nice layout it is six speed manual diesel engine with 93k on the clock even though it is mot'd  until October ,  we have bought it we paid a deposit of £250 and will pay the balance on collection for us it represents freedom and a new hobby for weekends and weeks away  on annual leave  we have watched van lifers on You Tube for the last  fifteen years now we are about to do it .I have insured the van it was £350 for the year and I have joined the AA that's for break down cover I don't have a drink issue .They are loads of things we need to buy like a 12v fridge , Ridge Monkey shower , a Jackery and rear door awning but the main item is bought the rest can follow as and when .

We cant pick it up until Friday next week then we will go on our first drive not sure where but it will be a new experience and the big bonus is the dogs can come with us .

NO , NO, AND NO AGAIN

 MONDAY - Saw a camper van for sale £3800 it is  VW Transporter Leisure drive 1.9 tdi on a 2005 plate mot until April next year .Pictured below 

Then we saw another listing that we are driving over to see tomorrow it is a Ford Transit 2.5 diesel with 60,000 miles on the clock and will have a years mot put on the van before it is sold that is £5,795 .nearly £2000 more than the VW and five years older is it worth the extra 2k .

TUESDAY - Went to view the camper van directly above you think the person selling it would clear out the previous owners crap vac the carpets clean the paintwork clean the cab .No they couldn't be arsed it was a pigsty .Some trim was missing from one of the doors , the roof had a bad scrap to the front slope it was very disappointing a big no. The other van was also a no you had to pay upfront it got delivered at a further cost of £120 you had ten days to either love or hate it if hate it they would pick it back up and give you your money back no fcuking way having a giraffe .

WEDNESDAY - Messaged the seller of this van it was in Matlock the gentleman selling a stand up guy but once again you could have washed and clean the van before letting people view it it is high milage which could be lower than what is shown they had a replacement  speedometer fitted  with the wrong mileage so its is going to be another no also the pop top had the bed bit missing so its only function was to give you head room .We go view another van tomorrow a Ford Transit h2 not sure if it is mwb or a lwb .

CHINA IN YORK

 FRIDAY - Went over to Dobcross garden  centre which means are favourite drive over Saddleworth moor I try and not rush always like to see the reservoirs see how full or empty they are .We bought some more solar lights a string that we put up a few weeks ago  had broke .Break up my last shift I have nine days annual leave .

SATURDAY - Went to  a Tesco superstore Barnsley bought a few food items and the ingredients for a pizza using nan bread for the base .

SUNDAY - Went to see Helens parents her cousin Sharon meet us there we all went to Maxi's Chinese restaurant a few miles away I ordered the crispy duck , soft noodles and curry sauce for starter I had chicken and sweetcorn soup we also shared prawn crackers and prawn toast the service and food wa sexcellent the bill for five of us £150 roughly thirty pounds a head the interior and design was very authentic well worth a visit . 

MEGA BREAKFAST

 SUNDAY -Helen working all day she was finished for around half past five booked a table for half past seven  at one of the Vintage Inns we have eaten there before .We got to the restaurant ordered drinks when they came to take our order for food there was literally nothing left apart from ham and chicken pie , belly pork and vegan dishes we ended up leaving we was not charge for the drinks although I didn't drink mine as it would mean when we went elsewhere I would not have been able to have another pint '

We ended up going to the Wetherby Whaler as time was running out we got fish and chips I got a pint of Magners problem solved .

MONDAY - Looking forward to Friday as I break up from work a whole nine days off and the weather is getting hot again so hopefully  more BBQ's in the pipeline .

TUESDAY - Was up a hour late had a shower took the dogs out had to take Helen to Slaithwaite for her eyebrows doing at 10.45 .Decided to go to the Albion farm shop at Dobcross we bought the usual Scotch eggs , pork pie , steak and ale pie white and brown flat bottom breadcakes .We decided to go to the café section for an all day breakfast which was way too much food did my best I did have Helens black pudding as well  .England beat DR Congo 2-1 in the world cup .

COOKING WITH FIRE

 SATURDAY - Cooler today with a very nice breeze blowing which is making it well chilled .Picked up a 200w heater fan from Screwfix I got a strange look from the sale assistant asking if I knew it was a heater fan I said I did jokingly I told him it was not hot enough it was 26 centigrade and rising I was even sweating when I made this comment simple fact turn the heater off and  it blows cold. Helen was in getting her nails done when the technician had the same fan and Helen said it was running really cold and the shop was way chilled hence why we bought one. 

Went to the tip got rid of a load of rubbish from Helens shed along with some garden waste and domestic waste.

Went to Fox Valley change my two pairs of shorts I bought them in XL instead of  L I.am a slim bastard not. Bought some meat to barbeque chicken . ribs , burgers sausages and of course chicken .

Went to Aldi bought some strawberries , choc ices for the hounds some Franks  hot sauce and more fresh fruit and cider  . Went home dusted of the barbeque grill and filled it with charcoal and firelighters and set fire to it using my blow torch .

FISH , ICE AND SHORTS

 WEDNESDAY - Working next week then a week off also got a week and two days in August hopefully the weather is still as hot as it has been this week .

THURSDAY - Washed the car again going to try and keep it 80% clean that's a very light dust and,  grimme , no heavy marks mud or bird poo it is nice when the sun is hot using a hosepipe it is easy to keep cool no guesses how .

B TIME

 THURSDAY - Washed polished vacuumed the car interior and exterior even under the hood and boot no matter how much time and effort that  I spend to detailing it it is  never going to like its just been driven out of the car showroom for the first time the hardest to clean being the alloy wheels and tyres and maybe the carpets in the foot wells , anyway it is looking shiny black which in my eyes is job done good .

FRIDAY - Went to Fox Valley bought a pair of swim shorts/Bermudas just in case the weather improves fingers crossed it will .

SATURDAY - Fitted the new rubber pull boot handle  you have to unscrew the old handle that is left in after it snapped pop the boot liner pull the old out put the new one in push the plastic boot panel back in place and screw the new handle in place a ten minute job .

SUNDAY - Helen went up Pule hill for the summer solstice with her friends and her cousin Sharon she had flowers in her hair and some facial transfer tattoos .

Late in the afternoon we went over to my daughters house for a Fathers day barbie it was a glorious sunny afternoon perfect for outdoor cooking and eating it was very nice to catch up and chill out best way to end the week thanks to Josh for being head cook and my daughter for doing all the prepping .